{"id":1172,"date":"2014-11-14T08:00:38","date_gmt":"2014-11-14T14:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ulprospector.com\/knowledge\/?p=1172"},"modified":"2021-04-01T15:23:40","modified_gmt":"2021-04-01T21:23:40","slug":"fbn-green-claims-food-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ulprospector.ul.com\/1172\/fbn-green-claims-food-industry\/","title":{"rendered":"Legality & Consumer-Focused Wording Key to Green Claims in Food Industry"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"GreenClaims_FoodSM\"Sustainability is a focus<\/a> in the food industry, with top companies in food manufacturing, food service and retail setting sustainability strategies. While many of these initiatives offer some productivity and efficiencies, research outlined in the recently released report from UL, \u201cClaiming Green,\u201d indicates that efforts to clearly communicate a greener product can strengthen the relationship with your consumers and increase sales.<\/p>\n

\u201cClaiming Green\u201d reports that \u201c70% of respondents were consciously searching for greener products, and 83% had consciously purchased sustainable products.\u201d UL research shows that consumers who are happy with the way you communicate green claims are brand loyal and share their experience with their social network. But it isn\u2019t as simple as using claims like \u201cgreen,\u201d \u201cnatural\u201d or \u201csustainable,\u201d which are vague, potentially misleading, hard to substantiate and are considered \u201cgreenwashing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Communicating Green Efforts<\/h4>\n

There are two main components to communicating green efforts: legality and consumer-focused wording. In 2013, according to \u201cClaiming Green,\u201d 23 of the countries polled by the Global Advertising Lawyers Alliance had \u201cundertaken legal challenges to green claims in the marketplace.\u201d\u00a0 Within the US, the FDA and the USDA regulate food claims on packages, requiring all labels to be truthful. In 2012, the FTC issued Green Guides<\/a> to limit deceptive green marketing, intending to enforce the guidelines with legal action. The European Commission issued voluntary standards<\/a> in 2013 for environmental claims and will establish specific sector rules by 2016. Work with your legal team to mitigate your risk; claims need to be clear, specific and substantiated.<\/p>\n

Finding consumer-focused wording is key. Claims which are too technical or confusing can result in lower sales and a negative brand impression. \u201cClaiming Green\u201d tested three types of claims with consumers: legitimate claims, or first party substantiated claims using clear and specific language; certified claims, which are substantiated by an independent third party; and problematic claims, which would not meet current governmental guidelines for \u201cgreenwashing\u201d by being vague or untrue. The results showed clear favorability for certified claims on purchase intent, especially with millennials. Legitimate claims lagged behind certified claims.<\/p>\n

Green Themes<\/h4>\n

While sustainability strategies are increasingly finding their way into the food industry, green claims have not been a focal point. But there are green communication themes that may apply:<\/p>\n